Exploring the Beauty of Madu Ganga Wetland on a Stand Up Paddle Board SriLanka
After a successful stand up paddle board survey of Dal Lake – a freshwater lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, and after a gap of 5 days, as per my schedule, I traveled 4000 km south of the Indian subcontinent to reach Madu Ganga, a well-preserved and complex coastal wetland ecosystem.
About Madu Ganga Wetland Ecosystem and reason for this Stand Up Paddle Board mission.
Here in Balapitiya lies Madu Ganga, the beautiful river that nestles alongside whispering waters. Madu Ganga is considered Sri Lanka’s second-largest wetland, consisting of 32 islands, including two main islands providing shelter to more than 215 families. The Madu Ganga river is a shallow water body in southwest Sri Lanka, which enters the sea at Balapitiya. Together with the smaller Randome Lake, to which it is connected by two narrow channels, it forms the Madu Ganga wetland. Its estuary and the many mangrove islets on it constitute a complex coastal wetland ecosystem. It has high ecological, biological, and aesthetic significance, being home to 303 species of plants belonging to 95 families and to 248 species of vertebrate animals. Madu Ganga is possibly one of the last remaining tracts of pristine mangrove forests in Sri Lanka.
The inhabitants of its islets produce peeled cinnamon and cinnamon oil. Over the years, Madu Ganga has played an important role in providing food and shelter and, of course, providing easy access to the mainland via small wooden boats. During the pre-colonization period, Madu Ganga was used as one of the main waterways connecting cities and ancient Sinhala kingdoms. The main treasure of Madu Ganga is its mangroves that act as a bio-lock to the area, giving protection to the variety of aquatic plants and animal life. They provide a home for different kinds of aquatic plants, crabs, shrimps, fish, various invertebrates, and other animal life, including crocodiles. It is claimed that the main secret of the Madu Ganga is the tide. On any given day during low tide, the seawater comes inland and mixes with fresh water, and in the evening, vice versa, creating the magic of nature. Equipped with all these interesting facts about this pristine wetland, I managed to contact Mr. Chamara Indika, owner of Christian Mountain Villa & Ayurveda Hotel, and being an avid ocean paddler, gave me confidence that this is a great spot for my next paddling survey.
WHAT IT COSTS
Overall trip cost for this three-day tour was approximately 850 – 950 USD / 120,000 – 135,000 Sri Lankan rupees, which included a flight trip from Delhi to Chennai and a round flight trip from Chennai to Colombo, visa cost, prepaid SIM, motorboat rentals to accompany during SUP survey, two nights' stay, food, drinks, tips, and car rentals for 3 days with driver and fuel allowance.
GETTING THERE
Nearest Airport – Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo, 130 km north of Balapitiya
Nearest Railway – Colombo Fort Railway Station, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 110 km north of Balapitiya
The easiest way to reach Balapitiya from Colombo International Airport is to hire or rent a car from the airport itself and take the Southern Expressway / E01.
GEAR AND OTHER STUFF
To my great relief, Mr. Chamara informed me that a permit is not needed for paddleboarding in the waters of Madu Ganga.
Naish – Inflatable – 10’ x 33” paddle board with SUP travel backpack, collapsible paddle, ankle leash
Sports HD Wi-Fi enabled 1080P action camera kit and monopod
40L Tribord waterproof bag
Pedometer
Samsung Note 3 smartphone with GPS tracking software and a lot of waterproofing!
Canon 60D camera with 18-55mm USM; 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM; 75-300mm f/4-5.6 telephoto lens; 8GB & 32GB memory cards in Lowepro camera bag.
Magnetic compass
Binocular Fix 6×25
Basic first aid travel kit with medicine for waterborne infections
UV protection sunglasses
UV protection sun cap
Board shorts
Raincoat and cheaters
ETA visa (Indian Nationals)
CARRYING THE BOARD IN THE AIRCRAFT
As I mentioned in my earlier travelogue - Please click here, carrying an inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board on a plane is something I’m very familiar with. SriLankan Airlines is one of the surfer and paddler-friendly airlines. One can check in a maximum weight of 35 kgs of check-in baggage and 7 kgs of hand luggage. Extra luggage will cost you 10 USD per kilo.
As I am traveling in the first week of November to Sri Lanka, the probability of heavy rain is very likely due to the onset of the retreating NE monsoon. This was proven right when I googled the weather forecast. But I have no option to reschedule my trip, so I decided to travel ahead, leaving my chance of paddling to luck.
DAY 1 – Christian Mountain Villa, Balapitiya – Air, Land and Water
I began my journey on the evening of 6th November 2015 from Gurgaon, landing at Chennai airport at 20:00 hrs. With a connecting flight to Colombo at 03:00 hrs on 7th November, I had over 7 hours of transit. Despite my house being a 20-minute drive away, I chose to stay at the airport to prepare for the SUP trip. On 7th November 2015, at around 04:20 hrs, I arrived at Colombo International Airport. After 45 minutes in the baggage collection area, I found my SUP luggage, picked it up, and rushed out.
Getting out of the airport was not as easy as I thought it would be. I was first stopped by customs officials and then again by an elderly gentleman and a couple of Sinhala women. The man spoke to me in Sinhala. Mistaking him for a taxi driver or currency exchange agent, I tried to avoid him, but then he showed me his ID card. He was one of the Anti-Drug officers – Narcotics wing, and he was very much interested in inspecting my paddle. I cooperated and followed them to the inspection room. I explained to him that I am a geologist and paddler traveling to Balapitiya for a paddling trip. Since he was unfamiliar with paddling, I chose to share a few articles about myself and stand-up paddleboarding online to help them recognize me better. The earlier visa stamps of my previous Sri Lankan visit in my passport during my official trip for an oil and gas exploration campaign in the Gulf of Mannar worked well too.
They wished me good luck for my Stand Up Paddle Boarding mission. Before coming out of the airport, I picked a Dialog prepaid card as suggested by my Sri Lankan friend, which is much more competitive and cheaper than the rest of the mobile service providers. Upon spotting my friend who was waiting with a car and driver for me, without wasting a minute, I started my journey towards Balapitiya by catching the newly Chinese-built Southern Expressway / E01. Within 75 minutes of driving, we reached our final destination – Christian Mountain Villa.
Eighteen hours of traveling from Delhi to Balapitiya would have worn out anyone, but not me. All the adrenaline of the adventure to follow kept me active and excited. I checked into my already booked room on the second floor of Christian Mountain Villa as per tips provided on the TripAdvisor website. A beautiful room with a lovely glass door that leads to a terrace awaited me inside. Without wasting a second, I unpacked my bag and requested my driver to stay in the same room. After a quick settling, I proceeded to the open terrace for a grand view of Madu Ganga Estuary and the mangrove forest.
It was 9 am, and there was a patch of gloomy clouds in the south of the horizon and bright sunrays from the east. I decided to drive down south for lunch and also visit Hikkaduwa (a well-known international destination for board-surfing & scuba diving) and Galle – the administrative capital of Southern Province, Sri Lanka (Galle Fort is a world heritage site). We spent one hour in Galle and visited the Dutch Fort, lighthouse, fort beachfront, and international cricket stadium. Then we moved to Hikkaduwa for lunch. Around 15:00 hrs, we headed back to our resort.
The next morning, the sight of the Madu Ganga waters before me revitalized my energy. I inflated my Naish 10’ ft iSUP, fixed the sports action camera on the paddleboard, and walked to the Madu Ganga boat safari, which is just 200 meters from Christian Mountain Villa Ayurveda Resort. Sticking to the basics for paddling in unfamiliar waters, I inquired with the boat safari manager about the Madu Ganga waters and any possible threats with respect to safety for paddlers. The manager, who is a local, confirmed no threats but recommended paddling in a group or under supervision. So, I decided to paddle for a short duration under the vicinity of the boat safari staff.
The first impression of this place is that it is a perfect launching point for paddle boarders. The water looks dark brownish due to the heavy rainwater inflow from the Madu Ganga river catchment, and the thick mangrove growth in front of me made me a little nervous. My driver and the boat safari driver took on the role of watching over my paddle board session. So I commenced my paddling session; the water is so glassy that within a few strokes of paddling, I traveled 100 meters away from the starting point. I kept paddling in the creek of water. After 30 minutes of paddling, I stopped paddling forward as quite a strong drizzle started and got stronger within a few minutes. So I paddled back towards the boat safari point. When I reached the starting point, I met Mr. Sanjeewa Chalakya, the owner of Madu Queen Boat Safari, and he is working for the Sri Lankan government. Within a few minutes, I understood his interest and excitement in paddling. I gave him a basic introduction to stand up paddling. He tried paddling for a few minutes. As the overcast clouds made the place darker, I called off the paddling session and confirmed the next morning's long session paddling tour with Mr. Sanjeewa. Now I deserve a big meal and rest for the next day's Stand up paddleboard session, so I headed back to my room.
DAY 2 – Great Encounters
Before sunrise, I started my day with a yoga session on the top floor open terrace of the villa. Around 6 am, the first light pierced through the rain clouds. I captured all those golden moments with my DSLR and also with my 569 megapixels equivalent eyes :-). Golden sunlight, gloomy clouds, and dense rich tree cover, with countless species of birds, is a magical combination of mother nature. And I am in the middle of this magical land. After 30 minutes of the photo session, I walked with my stand up paddle board and camera kit to the Madu Ganga boat safari.
Surprised to see Mr. Sanjeewa and crew waiting for us at the boat safari point. Around 7 a.m., I started my paddling tour. Sanjeewa, his brother, my driver, and the boat driver followed me slowly in the motorboat.
I continued paddling for 30 minutes, and the crew from the boat religiously captured all my paddling moments. I came to a point where a mangrove island in front of me stood like a mountain ridge. Sanjeewa requested me to get on the boat with my board. I followed the instruction. Our boat entered into a mangrove forest tunnel, and within a few seconds, we were inside the thick mangrove forest, sunlight struggling to enter this thick vegetation.
The motorman throttled the boat gently to avoid getting stuck in the thick vegetation. We entered another long stretch of open waters.
Another great opportunity to stand up paddle board was in front of me. I grabbed it and started paddling until I spotted it. Approximately 10 meters in front of me, I noticed something golden brown in color under the reflection of the morning sunlight, swiftly moving to the left of my paddling direction. At the same time, the motorman and crew, who were a few meters behind me, screeched, “Kumaran! Kumaran! Crocodile in front of you!” An adrenaline rush happened within me, and in microseconds, I focused on that moving thing—the “crocodile”—closely. The crocodile was almost 10 feet long. This was the first time even the local crew had spotted a crocodile, and a 10-foot-long one at that. The crew clicked pictures of it.
The crocodile kept moving away from me, lucky me. It seems we both decided not to disturb each other.
I was well aware of the crocodiles in this mangrove ecosystem before the stand-up paddleboarding trip, but talking to the locals led me to believe that they had nearly disappeared. This assumption was proven wrong when we encountered a massive one. Usually, locals avoid moving in the remote mangroves of the Madu ganga waters, and also boat safaris usually start later in the day, so the chances of spotting a crocodile are very much limited.
During this stand up paddle board srilanka expedition, we stopped at six spots.
Cinnamon Island – only one guess what they do there, that’s right, make cinnamon. They showed us step by step how to make it; it was really cool. They cut the branches off the tree, then cut what looks like the bark off. It looks like a rolled-up piece of paper when they are done. Then it needs to dry in the shade for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, it gets crushed, put through a strainer, then it’s ready for use.
Maduganga River Swampy Trail & Bird Island – Places where the Madu Ganga freshwater meets the mangrove forest make this place one of the best birders' paradises.
5 Cents Island
The water is also conducive for the existence of the temple, and it is through an underground pipeline that drinking and other water is supplied there.
Kothduwa Island Buddhist Temple – The Kothduwa Purana Raja Maha Viharaya is an esoteric hideaway. It is the only temple inside a river without a village flanking it. The Vihara and the temple by itself pervade a mushy and tranquil aura. It is an ideal venue to soothe weary nerves. The ripples of the Madhu Ganga waters also remain serene, adding to the backdrop, which is also seen as an ideal abode to empty the volitions of the human mind in this fiercely competitive and stressful world. The surrounding brackish and saline
Camping Island – Great place for overnight camping (support provided by Madu Queen Boat Safari – Mr. Sanjeewa)
Fish pedicure on Galman Duwa Island
Bat tree near Madu Queen Boat Safari
As usual, I encouraged everyone in my crew to try Stand up paddling. Sanjeewa and the boat driver readily accepted my offer and tried paddling. Sanjeewa was the first one to try stand up paddling. For the first 15 minutes, he tried paddling in a kneeling position. After gaining confidence, he stood up slowly like a toddler. Within minutes, he started paddling comfortably in a standing position. Next to go was the boat driver. He did it easily like a pro. So I decided to return, and we reached the starting point around 10:45 am.
Completing this four-hour tour, covering over 20 km of paddling, provided me with a deep insight into the Madu Ganga ecosystem.
Observations and Suggestions:
This estuary is very much active in all aspects, whether it may be tidal influence, strong freshwater inflow, or diverse flora and fauna, so at any point in time during paddling, try to understand this system.
Water is murkier during the rainy season, which makes one misjudge the depth and threat (crocodiles) in the waters. Swimming is not recommended.
Lagoonal creeks (all the time) and open waters (morning) make wonderful spots for SUP beginners.
Open waters become choppy during the later part of the day and will be a challenge for SUP beginners.
If you are a nature lover (bird watching, reptile spotting), this is one of the best places in Sri Lanka.
Always paddle in a group, and if you are planning for long-distance paddling or inside the mangrove forest, hire a motorboat with experienced local support.
Be watchful when you paddle and move near mangrove vegetation.
Finish the tour before sunset, as local fishermen will be laying fish nets in the evening.
Respect locals; they are a great source of information and support – I recommend Madu Queen boat safari.
Paddleboards, paddles, and life jackets are available for rent with Christian Mountain Villa (contact Mr. Chamara Indika: +94 76 749 4404).
Stay away from crocodiles and bats. Respect the wildlife here.
Plan at least two days of stay in Balapitiya for exploring Madu Ganga ecowaters.
If you are using an inflatable board, avoid using it in mangrove forest tunnels. Mangrove tree roots may easily puncture your paddleboard.
Undoubtedly, Madu Ganga's bio-rich estuary and its local people proved to me this is a great place for stand up paddle boarders. Plan a trip and have fun.
Cheers
Kumaran Mahalingam
Founder and Doer - Paddle for future
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